


Ode to Freedom

by PeppermintSchnapps



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - World War II, Character Death, Drama, F/F, F/M, Family, Gen, Romance, eventual eremika
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-28
Updated: 2014-11-28
Packaged: 2018-02-27 07:39:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2684699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeppermintSchnapps/pseuds/PeppermintSchnapps
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the summer of 1944, Eren Yeager, along with Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert, fought together against the threat that made them hang loose by a thread, the World War II. As German rebels living in hiding, they were affiliated with a conformist and democratic group, The Wings of Freedom, which was led by the underdogs of the Allied Forces and some other Germans like them. The Wings of Freedom would go to extents in order to put an end to Germany’s occupation and the Nazis’ movements, and they would do the same as well, just to be off the grounds of something they never wished for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ode to Freedom

**Author's Note:**

> Pairings: Eremika, Jeankasa, Springles, Rivetra, Aruannie, Yumikuri, Bogie and Ingrid Bergman, and a hell lot of fucked up pairings.
> 
> Settings: World War II AU; 19 – 20 y/o
> 
> Ratings: Varies from T – M
> 
> Disclaimer: Attack on Titan / Shingeki no Kyojin does not belong to me; it is Hajime Isayama’s.

July 27, 1944

Chapter 1: The Frieze

The Frieze, as it was called by those who knew it, was considerably an old building at the time. It’s evident in its structures that the building was established a good few decades ago. It was a three storey high building that was oddly located at the city of Koblenz, somewhere in the west of Germany, and for Eren Jaeger, he found the location of the Frieze quite convenient and rather safe for the time being.

On that particular morning, a thick air of nervousness filled the Frieze. Although Eren had grown accustomed to the uncertainties, threats and who-knows-what may happen; it was still inevitable to feel nervous once in a while. Breakfast was a tense event; the clink-clank of the silverware against the plates and the distinct and somehow audible chews were the only things that could be heard.

Eren placed his utensils down. A seat on the table was empty; it was Sasha. He looked over at Armin who was engrossed in reading the morning papers. Somehow, it made Eren uncomfortable seeing Armin read the papers. Perhaps during breakfast, they could at least forget that something unpleasant was happening outside. Besides, they had the whole day to talk about it.

"Armin," Eren said.

"Yeah?" he took a bite on his toast, cringing at how hard the bread was. His eyes still lingered upon the morning papers.

Eren eyed his friend; there was nothing to get him from putting down his paper. He attempted to bring up a conversation. “Do you know where Sasha has gone off today?”

Armin shook his head as he flipped through a page of the newspaper. “Not this morning.”

"Hmm, it’s quite weird of her to be missing out breakfast."

Mikasa, on the other hand, who sat on the opposite side of the table, quietly ate her share of bread. She was so familiar with Sasha’s quirks and queer routines, her absence during breakfast did not quite bother her.

"I thought I heard someone went through the door this morning. Perhaps it was Miss Sasha." said a girl who sat just beside Mikasa.

Mikasa looked at the girl who was seated on her left; she was a young lady, barely a child, who was rather slim and tall for her age. She was in her mid teens, a good four or five years younger than them.

"Perhaps you know why she went out?" Eren asked as he buttered his bread.

Esther, the girl who sat beside Mikasa, shrugged and shook her head. “Not the slightest idea.”

Silence resumed and filled the whole dining room. They ate their breakfast silently; there would be casual squeaks such as “could you please pass the butter?” and a response of “thank you” to be followed after that. As soon as they finished eating dinner, Mikasa, with the help of Esther, cleared up the table and washed the dishes.

"It’s Sasha’s turn to wash the dishes." Mikasa said absentmindedly as she turned the faucet on and started rinsing the dishes.

"Maybe she didn’t want to the dishes today. That’s why she sneaked out." Esther said.

"Maybe," Mikasa gave Esther a faint smile. She handed her a newly washed plate to Esther and she wiped it with a clean towel and placed it in the dispenser.

It was a quarter to ten when a loud knock was heard at the other room. Suddenly, everyone felt the common tinge of nervousness filling up the Frieze.

"Hi!" a sigh of relief was let out when they saw that it was just Sasha. Mikasa could hear Armin and Eren interrogating her of her whereabouts that morning and Sasha simply supplied them with answers.

"Where the hell were you?" asked Armin, as he stood up from his seat in the living room.

"Just taking a morning walk. You’ll never guess what I just found."

"Sasha, could you please pay attention even for just a second?"

"I am paying attention!" Sasha said. She was clutching a paper bag, looking as eager to show the boys what she found as she took her morning walk.

Eren and Armin, on the other hand, seemed to be the least interested in what Sasha found. “For fuck’s sake, Sasha! Next time you go out for a sissy morning walk, do please bother to note us.” Eren ran a hand through his stressed face as he sighed exasperatedly.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever." Sasha loosely shoved her hand up in the air. "Anyway, as I was saying—"

"Sasha—"

"No, no, you’ll love this!" her hands excitedly clutched the paper bag as she sat down on the couch.

Mikasa angled her head past the kitchen’s doorway, trying to take a peep on what Sasha found. She was certainly sure that there was no need to be worried about Sasha. And as for Sasha’s part, she could have at least been more sensitive to lead them a word of her morning walk.

"Sasha could really be such a pain sometimes." Mikasa said as she placed her hand upon the door.

Esther was through with the last piece of dishware; she sat down on the dining table and placed her hands on the table. “What do you think Miss Sasha had in the bag?”

Mikasa looked at Esther then back to the living room. She saw how Eren and Armin were the least interested in Sasha’s wee discovery. Sasha though, was excited like a kid waking up on Christmas morning. “I don’t know,” Mikasa mumbled. “probably something stupid.”

"Okay, so remember the bakeshop two blocks away from here?" Sasha asked the boys.

Armin picked up a book nearest to him while Eren placed his jaw upon his knuckle. “Yeah? What about it?”

"Tada!" she cried in an annoying falsetto voice. She held out to them a thickly-sliced loaf of bread. "Bread!"

"You came all the way down there for a fucking loaf of bread?" Eren smirked.

Armin though, put away his book and eyed Sasha suspiciously.

"It’s not just bread!" Sasha defended. "It’s high quality bread. High quality. Plus, the—"

"Sasha," Armin said sternly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "you know we’re running low on budget."

Sasha rolled her eyes. “I got this cheap, Armin. They’ve got a new baker-girl, and she just so happens to be really nice and offered it to me in a considerable price. Quite a bargain I got there, eh?”

"But we receive bread and food ration enough to supp—"

"Whatever, Armin." Sasha turned her back from him, whereas Armin simply decided to remain silent. "You’re quite a fool if you tell me you actually enjoy what the Captain and Miss Hanji brings us. The food tastes like cardboard."

"She’s got a point, man." Eren mumbled, leaning to the side near Armin.

"What the hell, Eren? You’re siding up with her?"

"Ha! See? Plus, this bread is made of high quality wheat! The baker-girl said they got it from Southern France! I think it’s in Languedoc." Her mouth twitched, doubting her own statements.

"Is that even in the South?"

"Ah, whatever! It’s still precious bread!"

"Just because she said it’s imported from France doesn’t mean it is from France." Armin said easily, not really taking the whole conversation seriously anymore.

"Well, just because you assume that it is not from France doesn’t mean it is not from France." Sasha then left the living room, making Armin sigh out of annoyance. "Hey, Mikasa! Guess what, I just have high-quality bread! And it’s imported from Southern France!"

"Let it go, Armin." Eren said softly, just in case Sasha was still of earshot. He tilted his head upon the couch. "The Captain’s bread does taste like shit. And don’t you dare deny it."

Despite the rather weird occurrence that morning, it was still as tight as the ropes that were tied upon their necks. Living at the Frieze for a considerably long time, Eren was used to these kinds of accounts, but it still never failed him to pull the string of worries, filling up his mind with irrational and demented thoughts.

* * *

‘ _Esther Marié Koenigsberg,’_  he mentally repeated the name again and again.

Levi had known the girl for a couple of years already; knowing her name was just the basics.

‘ _Esther Marié Koenigsberg.’_

On that particular morning, his mind was kind of ticked off from its place. Levi’s focus was solely on repeating the name;  _Esther Marié Koenigsberg._  Everything at the moment was basically insignificant to his senses; normally he was particularly incisive and keen in observing to the things around him, especially at times like these. But his mind was too occupied by the matters concerning Esther, and as to how he would solve this dilemma.

He put his hands in his pockets as he walked pass by the gutters. His mind was wandering elsewhere when he noticed that he passed by the building that he was supposed to enter.

Levi stopped before the building. He eyed it from the roof down to its front door; Levi climbed up to the stoop and rubbed his hands against each other. He took note of the placards that was hung upon the door; a small sign of “Rooms to Let” was placed just below a bigger post that said “No Jews Allowed.” Levi scoffed at the second placard as he turned the knob and entered the building.

He went up to three flights of stairs and took a left turn. Levi stood before an old battered up door that he was ever so familiar with. He placed his knuckles against it and knocked.

No one answered.

He took a step back from the door as his eyes lingered on studying the texture of the door. His mind was still occupied; once in a while, Levi would catch himself repeating Esther Marié Koenigsberg, and he would practically lecture himself in his mind.

He heard soft footsteps approaching the door. “Just a minute.” said a female voice.

The door unlocked; it took the person behind the door quite some time before being able to open it. The door finally bulged after a few pulls.

"Captain," greeted a young lady.

Levi eyed her and smirked. “Ral.”

Obviously, the woman, Petra Ral, was not yet dressed and readied for the day; her hair was all out of place, eyes yet droopy from waking up and was constantly yawning in his presence.

"You look like shit today."

"Morning. You look like shit too, sir." She held the door open and Levi followed her inside. As soon as Levi entered her apartment, Petra went directly off to the kitchen as she placed a hand over her mouth, yawning.

"This thing still won’t budge." He said, studying the door.

"What did you say, Captain?" Petra called off from the kitchen.

Levi pulled off a handkerchief from his pocket and placed it in between the door, living it slightly ajar. He always did that whenever he was at Petra’s apartment, just so there would not be any more trouble in opening the door when needed.

He went to the kitchen. Petra had a kettle and two mugs placed upon the counter. When the captain was around, it was already given and a relative fact that he would have a cup of coffee.

Levi noticed how Petra occasionally tilted her head to the side, relieving it from stress.

"Seems like you had a rough night." Levi said, noting her behaviors that morning.

"Oh, it’s nothing." She said, pouring coffee to the mug as she tried to shake off the uneasy feeling. "I just got home late."

"Did you meet with Hanji last night?"

"Yes, sir." She said groggily.

"Well? Do you have everything with you?"

"There are still some missing documents, though sir." She took the container of cream from the cupboard. She dabbed a teaspoonful on both mugs and mixed it.

Petra handed Levi his mug of coffee. He brought it up to his lips, blew lightly on it before taking a small sip on it. “What else is missing?” he asked as he drew a deep breath.

"Well," she took her own mug into her hands as she placed her elbows before the small counter. "the visa itself. But we’re trying our best to find a way to have it signed as soon as possible."

Levi groaned at the news. He was not quite expecting that. He had been looking forward to the accomplished and altered datum, along with the visa for months. “This has been going on for months. I just want this thing to be through.”

Petra didn’t say anything; she just nodded her head, as she drank her coffee through her pursed lips.

"Do you have the other data with you, though?" Levi asked, placing the mug in the sink.

"Yes. I’ll just get it."

As Petra exited the kitchen, Levi leant over the sink. Just above the sink, there was a small window, overbearing the view of the paved street outside. He eyed the streets for anyone suspicious; there were a few casual civilians taking their morning strolls, and some people whom… they rather wish not to interfere with.

After a few minutes of constantly shifting his gaze to Petra’ kitchen and to the streets outside, Petra came back scampering with a folder in one hand, all dressed and tidied up.

"Here," she placed the folder upon the counter.

Levi took it in his hands and skimmed through the papers. A picture of a common girl was stapled on the upper right corner of the first page of the set of documents.

"Do they know about this?"

Levi looked up from the papers to Petra. He met her questioning gaze and how it bore right through his.

"They? Whoever you are referring to Ral, you better make it clear."

"They, uh um, the children."

Levi raised an eyebrow at her. Petra, all of the sudden, felt her face turned bright red at his actions. She couldn’t have chosen a better set of words.

"They are barely children anymore. For a long time now. You know that."

"Yes, of course." She nodded as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well, do they, um, Eren and the others, know about this?"

Levi closed the folder and tucked it in between his left arm. “They will know about this, eventually.”

"Eventually?"

"Today then," he cleared his throat. "if that doesn’t please you. Come on, I’ll be telling the brats about this." He waved the papers in the air.

She smirked as she stood up from her seat. She ran a hand through her face as she straightened up her clothes. Levi could feel that Petra was distressed. Sure he knew that she’s pressured as she was under life-threatening dispositions; they all were.

The two of them went outside of the kitchen. She took her keys from the bowl on her coffee table, as Levi took off his handkerchief from the wall. He held the door open for her while his other hand tightly clutched the folder.

"You still seem distress. What’s bothering you?"

Petra shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

Levi closed the door behind him as Petra locked it. They started walking to the stairs; the dull grey air still hovered above them.

"Ral,"

"Yes, Captain?" she said, her hand clutching the railings of the stairs. He was a good few steps before her, giving her enough space to breathe.

"Did you receive a word from home?"

She stopped walking. Levi noticed how her shoulders became suddenly stiff. Petra clutched the handrails harder, and he swore, her breath started hitching at the moment.

"It was supposed to be taken pleasantly," she gulped the hard lump that was forming at her throat. She felt her stomach turned into an endless pit that sucked on her. "but I just can’t seem to help myself from worrying."

He didn’t say anything.

She turned around to face him; worry was sketched upon her very face. Sometimes, Levi would simply want to slap her hard, convinced that it might free her from all the cares and worries. But then again, he himself was at the same boat as Petra’s.

"I heard that France is winning." She said.

"I know."

"And it’s supposed to be happy news. Somehow, I think it is one step closer to home." Petra drew in a deep breath. She clutched on the collar of her blouse as she gasped for air. "I’m sorry, sir. I shouldn’t be displaying a behavior like this."

"It’s okay. Paris is still occupied, though. The others check on your day occasionally."

She nodded. They climbed down the stairs and before exiting the building, Petra stopped and faced him. Levi stared down at her with a questioning gaze. Levi, though short for his age, still managed to look down at Petra, with her height being relatively quite short for her age.

"I’ll try to have my mind off to what’s bothering me." She tucked a part of her hair behind her ear. "And for your part, try to do it too, sir. I know how you’ve managed to pick a habit out of repeating Esther Marié Koenigsberg’s name."

* * *

Meanwhile back at the Frieze, all of them except for Mikasa, had their attentions on the radio. They had their ears sticking out for news on how France was rising from the German occupation and other further news on the bomb plot that happened a week ago.

"I think it has something to do with the bomb plot last week."

"The fuhrer was wounded, for crying out loud! They took it as an advantage!"

"Could you guys shut the fuck up? I couldn’t hear out what he’s saying."

Mikasa on the other hand was in her room. She opened the drawer that stood opposite her bed and pulled out a red piece of fabric that she was ever so fond of. She ran her cold-stricken fingers on it, letting its warm texture overwhelm her. She draped it around her neck and leant turned around.

It was quiet at the moment; well, quiet in her room for that matter. The Frieze was never at peace, even before Armin, Sasha and Esther started living with them. But it was ever so dear to Mikasa ever since Eren dragged her inside it with a family ready to take her under their ward once upon a blood-tainted night.

Mikasa took one brief peep at her room before exiting it. Before her was a small corridor of doors. There were plenty of rooms inside the Frieze; back then when Grisha Jaeger was still living with them, there were rooms wherein she and Eren were banned to enter. Mikasa walked ahead to the staircase to join the others.

"Have you any word from the Captain?" Mikasa heard Sasha asking the question.

"Oh, shit!" Eren groaned. "I remember!"

"What did you remember?" Armin asked. Mikasa approached them to the living room. The wireless was still opened, but Esther seemed to be the only one who was paying attention to the news.

"The Captain will pay us a visit today."

"Urgh," Sasha rolled her eyes as she slumped back to the sofa. "Another set of cardboard bread."

"Have you forgotten about that, Eren?" Mikasa asked as she seated herself in one of the chairs in the room.

"Well if you haven’t, it would have been nice if you’ve reminded me of it."

"I didn’t think—"

"Yeah, whatever, Mikasa." He shoved a hand in the air, signaling Mikasa to shut up. "You always ne—"

"Hey, Eren," Armin seethed at him.

"What?"

"Quit it. Mikasa’s not doing anything to you."

"Thank you, Armin." She hooked up a finger in the scarf and pulled it up to her nose. Eren on the other hand, simply just rolled his eyes.

"Miss Mikasa," Esther stood up from her seat as she lowered the volume of the radio.

"Yes, Esther?"

"Shall I prepare some tea for the Captain?"

"Serve the bread I bought earlier with it!" Sasha squeaked in with a playful smirk. "He’ll know how his bread is shit compared to my Southern France loaf."

"Yes, please, Esther." Mikasa said, and then Esther left the room. Sasha followed her to the kitchen as she kept on rambling about how she would like to serve the bread and smack the cardboard tasting ones to the Captain’s face.

Back at the living room, Eren, Armin and Mikasa sat in silence; Eren lazily sitting on the couch, his jaw resting upon his knuckles, Armin beside Eren as he studied the ceiling, and Mikasa fiddling with the hem of her scarf.

"Hey," Eren said.

Armin and Mikasa looked up at him.

"The Captain’s visit today? It has something to do with Esther, right?"

Mikasa chewed her bottom lip. Of course the Captain’s visit had something to do with Esther, but none of them would want to bring that up.

"Eren," Armin said as he placed a soft hand upon his shoulder. "you just—"

"I’m fine, Armin." he shrugged his shoulder, making Armin’s hand fall off. "I’m just worried about her."

"I’m worried about her too." Mikasa mumbled through her scarf.

"We all are. The only thing left for us to do is hope for the best."

And with that being said by Armin, the three of them looked up at the door as they heard someone knocked on it.

The Captain had arrived.

**Author's Note:**

> Quick review on my history in my junior year in high school.
> 
> Tbh, it’s really hard to come up with a new idea especially when there’s already an established storyline. Well, two established storylines for that matter: the WWII, and SnK itself.
> 
> And sad to say, there will be no titans in this story. And if there were, the walls would be the ghettos.
> 
> I’m not really sure with everything here. I tried hard to go back on my books and my atlas for geography issues, research on wiki, watching movies related to WWII and Hitler, and late-night talks with my dad. The whole thing is quite hard; not all my history books are written in English so when I jot down notes from a non-English reference, I translate it first to English and it’s twice hard of the job.
> 
> Feel free to correct me if there are any noticeable mistakes.


End file.
